Barnsley town centre and Sheffield city centre are both flying the Purple Flag once again after being rewarded for their commitments to creating a dynamic, vibrant and safe night-time economy.
This is the 5th consecutive year Barnsley has received the award and the 12th consecutive year that Sheffield has been recognised, after becoming the first South Yorkshire city to achieve Purple Flag status in 2012.
Flying the Purple Flag is a testament to their commitment to maintaining a diverse and attractive entertainment, dining, and culture scene while ensuring the safety and wellbeing of residents and visitors.
“The Purple Flag is an internationally recognised accreditation for management of a city centre. It’s about having the vibe, having a safe place to go out and enjoy an evening out.”
Awarded by The Association of Town & Centre Management, the Purple Flag scheme aims to raise the standard of nightlife in town and city centres between the hours of 5pm to 5am and judges locations based on a wide range of criteria including personal safety, cleanliness, transport, food and drink, arts and culture and how welcoming the town or city is.
Key successes in Barnsley’s submission included initiatives such as the historical market and Glass Works developments, which have seen an impressive 22% increase in footfall in 2023, the Bright Nights festival, which included an illuminated parade, light projection, and Christmas light switch-on and the development of Barnsley’s Violence Against Women and Girls agenda.
Sheffield’s partners in their Purple Flag accreditation process included Sheffield City Council, South Yorkshire Police, Sheffield BID, the City Centre Retailers Group, Changing Sheff, UNIGHT – The City Centre’s Pubs and Clubs Group, Sheffield Street Pastors, Marketing & Tourism Sheffield and Business Sheffield.
Speaking of the award, Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE, Leader of Barnsley Council, said: “The Purple Flag accreditation is a testament to the dedication and hard work of everyone involved in making Barnsley’s evening and night-time economy a success.
“It showcases the effectiveness of our collaborative efforts and the commitment of our partners to create a town centre that is not only safe but also offers a diverse and vibrant experience for all. Barnsley truly is a welcoming, safe and inclusive place to visit, day or night.”
Cllr Joe Otten, Chair of the Waste and Street Scene committee for Sheffield City Council, also said: “It’s great that we have been re-accredited with the Purple Flag for a vibrant night-time economy.
“The Purple Flag is an internationally recognised accreditation for management of a city centre. It’s about having the vibe, having a safe place to go out and enjoy an evening out and we’re very proud of having won this again.”
